Arkansas Volleyball Fact Sheet #5

About ArkansasThe University of Arkansas is coming off a tough weekend at Missouri State dropping a match to the host Bears and defeating Utah (RV) and Iowa State. Arkansas had to come from behind in the win over the Utes but more easily handled the Cyclones to close out the weekend.
Dorrell makes it two in a rowArkansas sophomore Jessica Dorrell made it two in a row this week earning her second selection to an all-tournament team. Dorrell hit .387 including a nearly perfect .424 mark with 15 kills and just one error against Missouri State. The Aledo, Texas, native added 13 total blocks and 3.54 points per game.
Miller sets recordSophomore libero Ashley Miller set a Lady’Back record with 32 digs in a five-game, come-from-behind win over Utah last weekend. One of the oldest records still on the books at Arkansas, Miller’s 32 digs edged passed Amanda Sweatt who had 31 digs Nov. 13, 1994, against Alabama in a five-game win. Miller has posted double-digit dig totals in each of Arkansas eight matches this year and has 148 on the year for a 4.77 dig-per-game total. She tallied 67 of those digs over the weekend averaging 5.58 dpg over three matches. Miller flirted with the record last year posting 29 against Kentucky en route to 510 digs for the season, also a record.
Arkansas out-does opponentsArkansas has been solid in nearly every statistical category this year. The Lady’Backs have outhit opponents .269-.167, with more kills; 484-429. The Lady’Backs have more assists (430-390), more digs (486-468) and more blocks (98.0-51.5) this year. Arkansas is also close in service aces with 32 to their opponent’s 41 this year.
Good in game oneArkansas has played very well out of the gates winning all five of their first games in matches. Currently, Arkansas 6-2 in game one, 5-3 in game two, 7-1 in game three, 1-3 in the fourth game and 2-1 in game five.
Point me in the right directionAlthough overall points don’t really matter much in volleyball, Arkansas has outscored its opponents in many games this year (obvious by the win-loss record). Here’s how it breaks down. Arkansas has outscored opponents 225-190 in game one, 229-210 in game two, 233-193 in game three and 43-37 in game five. The Lady’Backs have been outscored in the fourth game 119-102 this year.
The Western Wall of ArkansasAlways a strong blocking team, the Lady’Backs have worked hard early this year to maintain that reputation. The Lady’Backs have out-blocked opponents 98.0 to 51.5 with 170 block assists and 13 solos to their opponents 79 and 12 respectively.
More on the blockJunior Amy Allison leads Arkansas in blocking with 51 total blocks and a 1.76 block per game average. Senior Karla Crose is second with 38 blocks (1.23 bpg) followed by sophomore Jessica Dorrell with 37 (1.19 bpg). Freshman Christina Lawrence checks in with 25 total blocks (0.81 bpg) while junior Denitza Koleva has 18 (0.58 bpg).
Sharing the settingArkansas has been running a 6-2 offense rotating setters this year. Senior Iva Docekalova and sophomore transfer Nicole Martin have split time as the team’s setter and both have played very well. Docekalova has a slight statistical edge with 209 assists and a 6.74 assist-per-game average while Martin checks in with 180 assists and 5.81 apg. Martin has gotten all eight starts the duo have been on the court about the same amount of time.
Her time will comeJunior Kele Brewer has gone under the radar screen this year in what has been a very balanced start to the season. She has significantly elevated her hitting percentage to a .269 mark from .214 last year. Brewer’s early season numbers have been good enough to earn selection to most all-tournament teams but her teammates have also improved their numbers keeping Brewer off the map – so far. Brewer is third on the team with 82 kills and a 2.16 kill-per-game average through the first eight matches.
Lady’Backs let the SEC WestThe University of Arkansas was voted to tie LSU for the 2005 Southeastern Conference Western Division title in a poll from the league’s coaches. Arkansas received five first-place votes while LSU garnered six. Florida was again selected to win the SEC Eastern Division title and the overall title despite dropping two matches to upstart Tennessee last year and surrendering the titles. (see the poll on page 3).
On the roadArkansas is 91-56 all-time in road matches and 44-32 in neutral site matches. The Lady’Backs are 8-4 all-time in the first contest away from Barnhill (either away or neutral site). Arkansas is 6-3 in neutral openers and 6-6 in road match openers.
Season-best numbersThe season is just five matches old but Arkansas has posted some impressive numbers early. The Lady’Backs have a season-best 86 kills against Kansas State. That is one shy of last year’s single match best of 87 that came in a five-game with against Missouri State. Arkansas has hit better than .300 in four matches with a team-high .368 in a five-game loss to Kansas State. Here’s the season numbers so far:

TEAM PER-GAME: Kills per game: 15.61 — Assists per game: 13.87 — Service aces per game: 1.03 — Digs per game: 15.68 — Blocks per game: 3.16 — Points per game: 19.81
About Long Beach StateThe 22nd-ranked Long Beach State 49ers enter the weekend with a 5-2 overall record with a pair of losses to No. 11 Louisville and No. 12 Ohio State on their stat page. The 49ers, who defeated UNLV in five last Saturday, are led by Alexis Crimes hitting .337 with 92 kills, 3.54 kpg and 1.54 blocks per game this year. As a team, The Beach is hitting .225 with 2.98 bpg. Crimes was named to the All-Tournament Team at UNLV last weekend led the 49ers with 18 kills for a .538 attack percentage. Erika Chidester followed with a season-high 17 kills and a new career-best 11 total blocks (3 BS, 8 BA). Rosie Lewis and Ali Daley had 13 and 12 kills respectively. Nicole Vargas posted her fourth double-double of the season with 51 assists and 16 digs, while adding four kills. Vargas also directed the 49er offense to a .311 attack percentage.
Arkansas versus the 49ersArkansas is 0-1 against Long Beach State. The teams met in Long Beach in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 1999 with Arkansas suffering a 6-15, 6-15, 11-15 loss to the sixth-ranked team in the country.
About CS-San DiegoNo. 20 San Diego won team championship honors at California’s Golden Bear Invite Saturday night with a five-game win over tournament host Cal. Junior attacker Kristen Carlson had 22 kills and was named Tournament MVP for a USD (6-1) team that has began the season winning six of seven matches away from home. The Toreros only loss has been to UCLA in four games and USD is out-hitting opponents .254-.174. Carlson leads the team with 5.30 kpg this year.
Arkansas versus the TorerosArkansas trails in the all-time series, 0-1, to the Toreros. The teams’ lone meeting came in 1994 at the NIVC Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., with the Lady’Backs suffering a five-game loss.
About UNLVUNLV (3-5) won one and lost one Saturday in its final day hosting the UNLV Volleyball Classic at the Cox Pavilion. The Rebels only victory of the Classic came in a four-game match against Rutgers (30-20, 23-30, 30-16, 30-17). In the finale of the Classic, 22nd-ranked Long Beach State overpowered the Rebels in the fifth and deciding game. The 49ers won the match: 16-30, 30-25, 30-20, 22-30, 15-11. Maria Aladjova leads the team with 105 kills and 3.62 kpg this year.
Arkansas versus the RebelsThis is the first meeting between Arkansas and UNLV.
Up NextThe Lady Razorbacks return to Fayetteville hosting No. 11 Tennessee and South Carolina Sept. 23 and 25, respectively, as Southeastern Conference action begins.